1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of interactive voice response systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
An interactive voice response (IVR) system serves as a front end interface through which a calling party or caller can access data processing systems. The IVR system can provide prompts to the caller and receive touch tone and/or spoken responses from the caller. Through prompt/response interaction, the IVR system collects sufficient information about the caller to direct the inbound call to an appropriate resource, query an information processing system, or the like.
For example, an IVR system typically includes a hierarchical menu formed of an ordered series of audio prompts, whether recorded audio and/or text-to-speech programming. Each prompt is associated with a listing of choices available to the caller at that particular location within the menu hierarchy. The caller can navigate the menu hierarchy by making selections using touch tones and/or speech. Responsive to a caller input, the IVR system traverses the menu hierarchy to the particular selection that was chosen or indicated by the caller's input. In this manner, the IVR system enables the caller to traverse the menu hierarchy to reach a particular service or feature that is of interest to the caller.
As noted, IVR systems can function as audio interfaces for a variety of different information processing systems. For example, IVR systems can be used to automate caller access to financial accounts such as bank accounts, credit card accounts, and/or retirement accounts. IVR systems also can automate caller access to telephone directories, automated purchase systems, home shopping systems, bill payment systems, and the like.
As such, many persons interact with one or more different IVR systems on a day to day basis, whether checking on one's 401K or verifying a balance of a checking account. In fact, to perform routine tasks as listed above, callers on average deal with at least four different IVR systems as each task typically is performed by a different IVR system.
In order access the functionality of each respective IVR system, the caller must remember a different telephone number for each IVR system or service the caller wishes to access. The caller must also remember a corresponding account number for each respective IVR system as well as corresponding user identifiers (ID's) and/or passwords. Moreover, the caller must remember the particular menu structure used by each IVR system to efficiently navigate the menu hierarchy of the called IVR system to retrieve information desired by the caller.